Use a grinder

First things first: Grinding your weed before rolling is a must. A loose grind and larger pieces of weed burn fast and uneven.

Breaking the buds up into even pieces will make all parts of your joint burn more evenly. The best way to do that is to use a grinder, but there are also more than a few ways to grind your weed without using a grinder.

Metal grinders break weed into smaller pieces and have a smoother grinding action than grinding cards or your own fingers.

Hand grinding is OK only if you have nothing else to use. In that case, at least try to grind weed into the smallest pieces you possibly can.

Grinders come in different sizes and shapes and are usually made from either metal or plastic.

CAUTION: Do not overdo it. Weed that’s too finely ground can ruin your smoking experience as it can prevent the air from circulating through the joint.

Choose your rolling paper wisely

As you might already know, rolling papers come in different sizes, materials and flavors and they are crucial for making slow-burning joints.

The thickness of the paper affects its burn speed.

Thinner rolling papers provide more air to pass through, making the joint burn slower. That’s why my advice is to avoid rolling with flavored papers since they are usually quite thick and burn fast. Also, you should avoid rolling joints with cigarette papers because they are just too thick.

Rolling papers are usually made from wood pulp, hemp or rice. Wood pulp papers are the most common in dispensaries and headshops, unfortunately, burn faster. Although they are good for beginners, they are usually bleached which alters their burn rate.

Although rice rolling papers have the lowest burning rate, most experienced users prefer to use hemp rolling papers.

Hemp papers burn slower than wood pulp papers, but are more sturdy than rice papers which makes them a good choice overall. Also, hemp rolling papers are usually unbleached and additive-free, providing a more even burn.

Once you roll a joint, pack it even tightly from the top by using a toothpick, a pen or any other thin object. Just stick the object into the top of the joint and tap the tip a few times on the hard surface.

However, the joint should not be rolled too tightly, or else the material will block the airflow and it will be hard to even smoke it.

If that happens by any chance, here’s another trick you can apply to maximize the airflow: Take a toothpick and push it from the top of the joint all the way to the tip, making a small tunnel. You’ll feel the difference when drawing instantly.

Baptize the joint before smoking

Baptizing a joint is to moisten it before smoking by putting the joint in your mouth. I know it sounds gross, but it does the trick and a lot of people are doing it to make their joints burn slower.

Here’s how to do it properly: Hold the top part of the joint with your fingers and pull it through your mouth, moistening it with your lips.

What I like to do to make my joint burn even slower is, during the smoking session, I put a little bit of my saliva on my finger and carefully moist under the burns.

Turn it into a twax joint

Twaxing is a term coined to describe a process of adding weed concentrates to the outside of the joint.

Adding some hash either on the rolling paper or in the mix will slow down the burning speed and provide a much stronger high.

It’s not just that twaxed joints are cool and appealing—they are also super potent. Concentrates contain higher levels of cannabinoids and should be used only by experienced users who’ve developed a bit of a tolerance to THC.

Coat the joint with honey

If you can coat the joint with honey-like cannabis concentrates, why couldn’t you coat it with real honey?

Some experienced marijuana smokers have been coating the outside of the joint with honey so that it burns even slower. For an added boost, you can sprinkle the honey-coated joint with some kief.

Light the joint up evenly

When you roll a perfect joint, it’s important to light it up properly. Remember that joints don’t burn like cigarettes.

Hold the joint over the flame of your lighter and rotate it as you are lighting it.

Also, while you are lighting it up, take smaller, even puffs, and don’t inhale the first draw. Do not take deep breaths, because it will start burning faster right away.

When the joint is lit, you want the burning area to be nice and circular—think of a smoldering cigarette glowing in the dark.

Take lighter and longer hits

While smoking, try not to draw too much at once. Smaller and longer hits will make the joint burn slow.